Cover 4: Road Trippin'
Cover 4: Road Trippin'
The best bets against against the spread for week 11 of the college football season.
Our Cover 4 has been getting beat more than Oklahoma’s secondary lately. But, like Mike Stoops, I’m just really not sure what to do about it, aside from making the best calls I can and hope my cornerbacks will eventually, miraculously, turn and find the football.
On the bright side, how smart does North Texas always make me look? I’ll ride with Mason Fine (and Khalil Tate, obviously) until the end.
Anyway, without further ado, here are four absolute locks that are guaranteed (maybe, potentially, we hope) to hit this week.
Georgia (-3) over AUBURN
Before we even get to the football side of things, here’s a fun little straightforward gambling statistic for you: Georgia is 6-3 ATS this season while Auburn is quite the opposite at 3-5-1 — 1-3 at home.
The Tigers have been ballin’ of late, but Georgia is the best defense they will have seen this season — and they’ve seen Clemson, so that’s saying a lot. Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham is outstanding and has been a model of efficiency for most of the season, but the Tigers’ offense is predicated on their ability to run the football.
242-43#DawgsOnTop pic.twitter.com/xehRM5V0E8
— Georgia Football (@FootballUGA) November 5, 2017
Against Georgia, that’s a problem. The Dawgs completely shut down a Notre Dame running game that has rolled all over everyone else on the schedule — and they’ve allowed just two rushing touchdowns in their past seven games.
Georgia has a propensity for falling flat when it matters most — so beware, I guess — but this is a new program under Kirby Smart.
UConn (+38.5) over CENTRAL FLORIDA
The logic here is pretty elementary. Connecticut lost to South Florida by 17 last week. USF and UCF feel pretty even. And 38.5 points is a lot of damn points.
Ultimately, the Knights are going to roll. But SMU provided the blueprint for slowing down the UCF offense last week. In fact, change two plays from Saturday night — a fumble inside the 5 and one blown coverage — and Central Florida is no longer an undefeated team.
That’s not to imply that UConn is even remotely similar to SMU in terms of talent, but if the Mustangs can beat UCF, surely the Huskies can use that film to keep from getting housed by 38 points, right?
Right?
Washington (-6) over STANFORD
This pick is built upon two beliefs.
Belief No. 1: Washington — the top-ranked total defense in the country — will keep Bryce Love in check. Assuming, of course, that Chris Petersen's explanation of what a fullback is went smoothly.
Belief No. 2: Washington will have success moving the football against one of the weaker Stanford defenses in recent memory.
For what it’s worth, if the spread were to move to 7, I’d stay away. But, at 6, even if Washington is not as effective and impressive as I expect, you can still steal one in overtime if need be.
Iowa (+12) over WISCONSIN
Why is this spread so odd? Someone please save me from myself if I’m missing something.
Wisconsin — which isn’t exactly known for being explosive offensively — will be without its lone legitimate threat on the outside, wide receiver Quintez Cephus (leg) in addition to stud linebacker Chris Orr and potentially safety D’Cota Dixon.
#TDTuesday pic.twitter.com/PxnJjJgr90
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 7, 2017
Some injuries can be overcome, sure. And the Badgers are nothing if not grit personified, I’ll grant you. But to play the dream killer that is Iowa without your top receiver, top safety and middle linebacker is a problem.
Nathan Stanley and Akrum Wadley had their way with Ohio State. What’s to say they won’t do the same to ‘Sconny?
Getting 12? Sign me up.
Season Record: 20-21
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